Kearney, Neb. – The 14th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team continues to remain on the road this weekend with trips to 7th-ranked Washburn and Emporia State.

The match against the Ichabods (12-0, 1-0) will be Friday at 7:00 p.m. with the battle vs. the Hornets (5-5, 0-1) set for Saturday at the same time. Check the Loper schedule page for video and stat links.

UNK has been a thorn in the side of Washburn since joining the MIAA in 2012. The Lopers swept the 'Bods in 2012, winning 3-0 in the NCAA Tournament and 3-2 in Topeka, ending a 51-match home court win streak. WU took both regular season matches the following fall but Kearney won 3-1 in the MIAA Tournament. Last season, UNK won both matches, including 3-1 in Topeka.

This current 'Bods squad has won each match this season, getting past No. 22 Augustana, Drury and RMAC-member Colorado State-Pueblo in five sets.

Junior outside Leanna Willer, from Elkhorn, is among the top threats in the conference, averaging 4.14 kills, 3.14 digs and 0.68 blocks per set while hitting .200.  In the middle is junior Sarah Vicory, coming in at 1.47 blocks and 2.51 digs per set and hitting a team-high .314.

Senior Liz Powell (9.02 assists & 3.09 digs ps) is the setter with junior Alyssa Carney (5.16 dps) the libero. Powell began her career at Division I North Texas with Carney playing at Wichita State.

Emporia, which was swept at home by WU on Tuesday night, is led by freshman outside Emma Benton (2.78 kills & 3.22 digs ps) and junior outside/right side Josie Williams (2.53 kills & 3.29 digs ps). Benton graduated from G.I. Central Catholic.

The Hornets are 1-2 in five set matches and have played just once at home.  Last season, UNK took all six sets from E-State but the last five saw the Black & Gold score at least 21 points.

Currently riding a nine-match win streak, UNK has warmed up of late, hitting over .300 four times in the last two weeks. That includes a season-high .411 last Saturday vs. Henderson State and a .311 mark Tuesday at Fort Hays State. Junior right side Annie Wolfe (.336) and freshman setter Lindsey Smith (.364) are the individual leaders in this area with six different Lopers averaging at least 1.81 kills per set.   

That large group is led by sophomore outside Kaitlynn Thomas (Yutan), who has had six matches with 10 or more kills. That includes 20 in a sweep of Mary, 18 in Tuesday's sweep of
the Tigers and 17 in a four-set win over Sioux Falls. Thomas is now at a team-best 3.25 kills per set, seventh best in the MIAA.

An area where UNK has really been strong to date is the service line. Senior Erin Seele (0.59) and Smith (0.47) rank 1-2 in the league in aces per set with Wolfe (0.32) 10^th. The Lopers have nearly 50 more aces than reception errors with Seele just two aces away from becoming the fourth UNK player in the last decade to reach 100 in a career.

The Loper Road Show continues next weekend with a long trip to Lindenwood Friday night and then a battle at No. 6 Central Missouri Saturday night.